This report presents the results of a study into the development of ironworking in Iron Age, central southern Britain. A total of 279 iron artifacts from Hampshire-Wiltshire sites and 224 objects from sites in neighboring regions were sampled and examined metallurgically using an electron microprobe, a metallographic microscope, and a hardness tester. The reasons for the selection of the particular sites, sampling methods, and metallurgical analyses are explained. The results of the analyses were manipulated to determine whether: 1) techniques were employed to enhance the functions of tools; 2) naturally high-carbon or phosphoric iron alloys were selected for specific purposes; and 3) blacksmithing expertise was uniformly distributed throughout the region studied.